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Yes, this is the very buttery caramel fudge (with an Irish Cream kick) that our amateur sleuth used to bribe a New York Police Department Bomb Squad lieutenant in one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mysteries Billionaire Blend.

For years, Marc and I have enjoyed a splash of Baileys in our coffee. That's exactly why our recipe pairs so beautifully with coffee or tea. This sophisticated take on old-fashioned caramel-nut fudge makes an impressive offering for party trays and an amazing after-dinner treat.

These days, Baileys even comes in different flavors. Although we use the original version, you can certainly experiment with the other flavors Baileys now offers. For the best complements to this fudge recipe, you might try Crème Caramel, Vanilla Cinnamon, or Hazelnut.As for the size of the recipe, in our Coffeehouse Mystery Billionaire Blend, our amateur sleuth made it in an 8‑inch-square pan and cut it into bite-sized pieces to share with an NYPD bomb squad crew. If you’re planning it for a party, however, this larger batch version fits the bill—because there’s nothing like a wee nip of edible joy to ignite a celebration...

To download this recipe in a free PDF you can print, save, or share, click here.

IMPORTANT TIP: Assemble and measure out your ingredients beforehand because you will be adding them quickly to a hot pan. Toasted nuts are so much more delicious than raw, and they're easy to make. See directions in the caption below.

PREP PAN: Line a 13 x 9-inch pan completely with parchment paper as you see in my photo below. Allow the paper to extend beyond at least 2 sides to create a sling with handles. This will allow you to lift the fudge easily from the pan.

Now for the Fudge...

Step 1 – Into a large saucepan (5 quarts, at least; nonstick is best but not necessary), measure out the evaporated milk, brown and white sugars, butter, and salt. Place the mixture over medium heat and occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning. Watch for it to come to a full, rolling boil. Set the timer for 5 minutes and begin to stir constantly.

Beginning to boil, but not yet ready...

This is what a full, rolling boil looks like. Start the 5 minute timer now...

Step 2 – At the 5 minute mark, add in your mini marshmallows, a little at a time, stirring between each addition to melt them. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, Baileys Irish Cream, and finally the vanilla extract (the vanilla should not be added to boiling liquid or the flavor may be destroyed). Now add the white chocolate chips and stir until melted. Finally fold in 1 cup of the toasted chopped pecans (or walnuts).

Step 3 - Pour fudge batter into your prepared pan...

Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans across the top to decorate. Allow the fudge to cool completely, without any covering, at room temperature.

COOLING TIP: Do not cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap until the fudge has completely cooled; otherwise, steam will condense and your fudge will become soggy. Once the fudge is room temperature, loosely cover the top of the pan with plastic wrap or foil and place the pan in the refrigerator, chilling until firm. Remove your pan from the fridge and lift the fudge out of the pan using the parchment paper handles.

TO STORE: If not serving all at once, slice only as much as you need, then rewrap the fudge block tightly in plastic and place back in the fridge. It will keep this way for up to three weeks.

BAILEYS BUYING NOTE: If you’re not a big drinker, simply buy 3 mini-bar bottles of Baileys. Inexpensive, single-serving bottles come in sizes of 50 milliliters, and 3 bottles will allow you to measure out the amount needed for this recipe.

To download this recipein a free PDF you canprint, save, or share, click here.